Review: Kobo Forma e-reader

Not too long ago I posted a review of Kobo’s newest e-reader; the Clara HD. Well, guess what. They already have a new one and I’ve been testing it out the past few months. The e-reader I’m talking about is the Kobo Forma. An e-reader that has a very interesting new feature.

Horizontal reading

With the Kobo Forma you can read vertically, like normal. But, you also have the option to turn your e-reader around and read vertically. If I’m honest, when I first heard about this feature I was a little bit apprehensive. I thought that I wouldn’t like it. Because why would you read that way? But, after trying it out I can now say that I’m a fan! Which I really really did not expect. I use it mostly when I’m reading on the couch or in a chair – basically any other place than in my bed. I just like it, and I can’t really explain why. It’s just one of those things you’ve got to try out for yourself to know for sure if you’d like it.

Buttons

Another feature the Forma has that other Kobo e-readers do not, is buttons. And not just any buttons, buttons to move forward or backwards in a book. I have to say, I don’t use it all the time when I’m reading on this e-reader. But I do actually find this quite handy. Especially when I’m reading horizontally. I just think that these buttons make it easier to navigate and also easier to hold the e-reader. I find it quite funny that when Kobo first brought out e-readers, they had navigation buttons on it. Over the years they stopped using buttons, and now they’re back. And I’m loving it!

The Forma has a really nice grip. Out of all the Kobo e-readers I’ve tried before I find this one to be the easiest to hold. It has a little ‘stand up’ bit where the buttons are, which is just very nice in your hand. This ultimately makes the reading experience better and you can read for hours on this without any problem.

All the features

This e-reader literally has all the features. It has the Comfort light setting that I loved so much on the Kobo Aura ONE. This basically means that you can not only light up the e-reader but also change the tone of the e-reader to make it easier on your eyes. I always use this, and I honestly wouldn’t want to go back to regular lighting. It also has features like reading statistics, reading PDF’s, using Pocket and so many settings to make this the best e-reader for you. It also has reasonable battery life. Obviously, this depends on how much you’re using it, and if you’re using the light option or not. But you can read for a long time on it without charging.

The Forma is quite a big e-reader. It’s even slightly bigger than the Aura ONE. I personally don’t mind. I like that it’s big. And it’s not chunky at all because it’s really thin and it doesn’t weigh a lot. It’s up to you whether you like a big e-reader or if you prefer to have something really small like theClara HD. I think this e-reader isn’t for everyone. It’s considered a premium e-reader. And you can see that in the price, it’s on the market for 280 euros right now. Which is quite a lot of money for an e-reader, but in my opinion, it is worth it. Again, this depends on your personal preferences and how much you use your e-reader. But if you are someone that uses an e-reader a lot I think it’s a great investment. It just works the way it is supposed to, it looks nice, and it makes reading very comfortable.

All in all, I think the Kobo Forma is a fantastic e-reader. I really really enjoy reading on it and it is definitely my favourite that Kobo has ever released. If you’re looking for a premium e-reader, then this is the one for you!